Our favorite things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka

When our office was in Kegalle, we went to Kandy almost every month. It was just a 1-hour drive from our old office.

We had Saturdays that we worked till 1.00 pm and spent the rest of the day enjoying excursions in Kandy. Raveesha, Roshel, Deepal and I have covered every single corner of this beautiful city.

In today’s Travellers Isle article, I am going to share some of our favorite things to do in Kandy.

If you are planning to visit there as part of your Sri Lanka holiday, take a minute to read this article. I can assure you this is the only blog article that you need to read about Kandy.

Without any further ado, let’s get started.

Things to do in Kandy

When the Portuguese captured the coastal regions of Sri Lanka in 1592, Kandy became the last independent Sinhalese  kingdom. It was a well secured location surrounded by hills and forests. Both the Portuguese and Dutch had failed to conquer it.

In 1815, British were finally able to take over Kandy after signing the Kandyan Convention. King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, who was the last king of Kandy, did not have the support of the Sinhalese chieftains due to his Indian bloodline. This was the main reason for the downfall of the kingdom of Kandy.

Today, Kandy is a UNESCO listed world heritage site visited by thousands of tourists every year. There are many things to do in Kandy but the following are our favourites.

1. Temple of the Tooth

For Buddhists, it is a great spiritual experience visiting the Temple of the Tooth. It is the palace complex that houses the tooth relic of Lord Buddha.

If you are visiting this sacred temple, which I highly recommend that you do, dress yourself with simple cothes. Ideally a white outfit that covers your arms down to your elbows and legs well below your knee level.

If you do not have suitable clothing, you may rent a sarong from one of the vendors at the entrance to cover yourself as required. You will not be allowed at the temple without proper clothing.

Although you can visit the Temple of the Tooth anytime between 5.30 am and 8.00 pm, I recommend going there when the service rituals (Thévava) are held.

During these hours, the golden casket in which the Sacred Tooth Relic is encased is exhibited to the pilgrims. Also, you will be able to witness the special rituals that are carried out to honour the tooth relic of Lord Buddha.

The Theva timetable is as follows.

Note – If you are visiting Kandy in July or August, check to see if your tour dates are during the Esala Peraheara days. Esala Peraheara is colorful procession consists of traditional local dancers, elephants, drummers and more. You would not want to miss it.

2. Peradeniya Botanical Garden

It is hard to think of a day that we visited Kandy and did not stop by the Peradeniya Botanical Garden for a little break. It is a truly amazing garden just outside the bustling Kandy city.

The garden boasts of 4000 plus species of exotic plants. For us the main highlights of the Peradeniya Botanical Garden are its palm trees, orchid collection and the section that is covered with giant bamboo trees.

If you like tea as I do, you will also enjoy having a cup of tea at the Peradeniya Botanical Garden café with its beautiful views.

It will take you about 2 hours to explore this picturesque garden. If you have difficulties taking long walks, you may hire a buggy cart to enjoy it.

3. Kandy Dance show

There are five distinct dancing styles in Sri Lanka. Namely, ves, naiyandi, uddekki, pantheru, and vannam. These dance forms differ from each other in their styles of body-movements, costumes worn by the performers, and in the shape and size of the drums used to provide music for the dancing.

If you would like to enjoy these dancing styles, visit the Kandy Lake Club. The performance starts every day at 5.30 pm.

4. Kandy city tour and shopping

Kandy is one of the most charming cities of Sri Lanka. The picturesque Kandy Lake in the city centre, colonial buildings and the local markets give it a very cozy feel. Take a walk in the late afternoon to admire its beauty.

You might also enjoy doing some shopping in Kandy. The historical city is famous for its batiks, woodcarvings and precious gems.

We Sri Lankans are not heavy on bargaining. However, if you are buying an expensive gem or woodcarving, feel free to put your bargaining skills to use.

5. Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue

Bahirawakanda Vihara is another enchanting temple in Kandy. It is a fairly new temple built in 1972, but many people make it a point to visit it while they are in Kandy.

The massive Buddha statue is the main highlight of the Bahirawakanda temple. It is visible from most places in Kandy, but you will not realize how enormous it is until you get there.

You have to take a hilly road to reach Bahirawakanda temple. It would be a poor choice going there by foot in midday. Take a tuk tuk. It is the most convenient way to get there.

6. Three temple loop in kandy

If you are looking for uncommon places to visit in Kandy, consider taking the three temple loop. Gadaladeniya, Lankathilaka and Embekka are three temples near Kandy city that are often overlooked by the tourists.

Good advice for those who wish to take this tour would be to combine it with the Peradeniya Botanical Garden. It will help you to minimize the number of times that you pass the traffic heavy city area during your stay in Kandy.

Gadaladeniya

Gadaladeniya is a Buddhist temple situated about 13km away from Kandy. It is believed the temple was built by King Buwanekabahu IV in 1344. It is considered as one of the largest rock temples in the country.

The architecture of the temple is heavily influenced by the South Indian architecture. This makes it one of the most iconic temples of Sri Lanka.

The key features of the temple are its large seated Buddha statue, stone inscriptions and the Makara Thorana (Dragon's Arch).

Lankatilaka

An elegant whitewashed structure that overlooks mountains and paddy fields, Lankathilake is another temple that was built by the Buwanekabahu IV. Similar to Gadaladeniya temple, the architecture of Lankathilaka temple has some South Indian influence.

According to historians, the main building of the Lankathilaka temple (image house) was constructed as a four storied mansion with a height of eighty feet. However, we can only observe 3 stories in the present day.

Inside of the image house is adorned with paintings and sculptures that belong to the Kandyan era. In my opinion, Lankathilaka temple is the most impressive temple of the three temple loop.

Embekka Devalaya

Embekka Devalaya was built by King Vikramabahu III of Gampola Era (AD 1357 - 1374) to honour the Kataragama deviyo (god). The shrine is quite popular for its extremely beautiful wooden carvings on its pillars and ceilings. It is Sri Lankan craftmanship at its finest.

7. Commonwealth Cemetery

This is not a regular graveyard but a resting place for about 200 casualties of the first and the second world wars. The cemetery is maintained by the British War Grave Commissions. You can walk into this peaceful spot to pay respect to the buried veterans and remember their sacrifice.

8. Udawatta Kele Sanctuary

If you like to get away from the hustle bustle of the Kandy city, visit the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary. You will be surprised to find out such serene places could exist just outside a busy city.

During the King’s era this forest reserve was named “Uda Wasala Watta” which means “the garden above the royal palace”.

Udawatta Kele stretches over 257 acres and is rich in biodiversity. Apart from flora and fauna, the sanctuary bears the remains of Buddhist monasteries and royal ponds.

Udawatta Kele is not a replacement for our beautiful national parks or large rainforests. However, any nature lover would have a great time in this green oasis.

Frequently asked questions

1. How many days do you need in Kandy, Sri Lanka?

If you can spend 1 to 2 days in Kandy, you will be able to enjoy most of the must-sees of Kandy. For someone who is keen to see everything that Kandy has to offer the recommended duration would be 3 days.

2. What is the best time to visit Kandy?

 The best time to visit Kandy is from mid-December to mid-April and from July to September. These two periods record the lowest average monthly rainfall figures in Kandy.

3. Is Kandy worth visiting?

Of course, Kandy is worth visiting. Not only it is worth visiting, but it is also essential in planning a well-balanced Sri Lanka holiday that does not have very long drives.

E.g. – Airport – Negombo (1 night) – Kandy (2 nights) – Ella (2 night) – Yala (1 night) – Bentota (3 nights) – Airport

The above is a very popular Sri Lanka itinerary. If you decide to remove Kandy from this itinerary, on the day that you travel from Negombo to Ella, you will be on the road for about 7 hours.

4. What are the best things to do in Kandy at night?

 Nightlife is not great in Kandy. If you are staying at a nice 3 to 5 star hotel in Kandy, your hotel probably serve liquor and they will have some music to keep the guests entertained. It is best to stay at your hotel enjoying these facilities rather than going out at night in Kandy.

5. Do you recommend the Kandy to Ella train journey?

I do recommend having a train journey on the Kandy – Ella train route. However, I am not a big fan of taking the train all the way to Ella from Kandy. It is a 7 hours long train journey.

I prefer the shorter (4 hours long) Nanu Oya – Ella train ride, which covers the most scenic portion of the Kandy – Ella train route.

If you wish to book this train journey, include an overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya in your itinerary. It is the closest destination to Nanu Oya station.

6. Can I visit Nuwara Eliya and Sigiriya as day tours from Kandy?

Yes, you can visit Nuwara Eliya and Sigiriya as day tours from Kandy. However, these two locations deserve more than a simple day tour. Try to allocate 2 to 3 nights for Sigiriya and 1 to 2 nights for Nuwara Eliya when planning your Sri Lanka itinerary.

Summary

Writing this article was a trip down the memory lane for me. I hope you will also enjoy Kandy as we did and hope you will find this article helpful when deciding things to do in Kandy.

Feel free to ask any questions leaving a comment or dropping us a message. I am more than happy to answer any questions that you might have.

We have plenty more helpful articles on Sri Lanka holidays. Have a look. We might be able to help you with another topic related your Sri Lanka trip.

Happy travels !